Necktie-fastener.



N0.707,786. Patented Aug. 26, I902.

0. KRAUS.

NECKTIE FASTENER.

(Application filed. May 12, 1902.}

(No Model.)

WITNESSES l INVENTUR ms norms PETERS cu, PHOTO-LITNOQWASHINGTON 04 c4 "name STATE ATENT OFFICE.

OTTO KRAUS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NECK-TlE-FASTEN ER.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,786, dated August 26, 1902.

Application filed May 12, 1902. Serial No. 107,025. (No model.)

To roZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO KRAUS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Necktie-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of necktie-fasteners which are made of a single piece of wire bent to present provision for secure attachment to a tie-shield and also forming arms adapted to pass over the shank of the collar-bu tton, the button-head being between said arms and shield, the arms being notched to afford a seat in which the shank bears when in position. i

The more prominent objects of the present invention are the production of a fastener of the class described which is extremely simple and durable in construction, which will positively retain the necktie in position with the highest degree of efficiency and be capable of a suitable amount of spring yield to permit the engagement of the button, but which on account of peculiarities of construction will operate to offer more resistance to the disengagement of the shank than it is subjected to in the engaging operation. Provision is also made for reinforcing or strengthening in a novel manner the bearing relation of the fastener relative to the shield.

There are other important advantages connected with my improved fastener, among which may be noted its adaptability While in a comparatively small size for serving with buttons having heads of comparatively large diameter. Further, there is no liability of the button being forced out of engagement with the fastener at that end of the latter opposite to that in which said button was introduced.

XVith the foregoing objects and purposes in view the invention consists in the novel necktie-fastener, which I will now proceed to describe:

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation or face view of a portion of a necktieshield with my improved fastener attached. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the novel fastener detached. Fig. at is an eleva tion of a fastener, illustratinga modification.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings where they occur.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A refers to a necktie-shield which may be of any desired shape and material. The fastener B is constructed in a single length of wire bent to present the contracted tongue 1), extending centrally from the upper part of said fastener, the parallel members of said tongue diverging or spread at one end 0 to form the horizontal oval loop (J, closed at one side by its members thereof being bent vertically and crossing each other in mutual bearing contact, as indicated at cl, the said members then depending and bent to constitute outwardly-curved arms (1 d and then inwardly at their lower portions d to present an eye or bearing D with a lower contracted entrance (i The lower portions d below the plane of the contracted entrance then divergently extend downwardly and laterally with a rounded curvature, so as to afford a flaring approach 61 to the entrance (1 for conveniently receiving and guiding the button-shank to the eutrance, through which latter it is sprunginto the eye D. The rounded lower portions of the arms then merge into vertical arms E, which may lie in the same transverse vertical plane as the bearing-eye and immediately related parts, said arms E extending up to a point contiguous to the ends of the horizontal loop 0 and then merging into top bends e, extending in the direction of the adjacent face of the shield, close to which they continue in the form of vertical descending members c, designed to bear positively against the surface of the shield. These members 6' at an intermediate point of their length provide for lateral horizontal looped extensions E, adapted to afford extended side bearings for the fastener against the shield to reinforce and increase the bracing support of the same relative to the shield, the outer portions of said reinforces E being spread to increase such bearing efiect. The wires forming the reinforces E are twisted together at the point of their connection with the mem- ICO bers e, as indicated at e, to render the fastener stronger at such points and make the reinforces more rigid than they would otherwise be. Below the plane of the reinforces E the members e continuedownwardly to the-lower portion of the shield, where each has a bend e in the direction of the shield and from whichbend leads an extended terminal e The fastener thus described is applied and secured to that face of the shield which is to lie next to,the collar. At an appropriate point in the upper part of the shield is aperforation a, through which the contracted tongue I) is passed, the extended terminals e which at this stage of the operation are horizontal, being likewise passed through properly-located openings a a in the lower part of the shield, with the result that those horizontal portions of the loop 0 immediately extending from the diverging end of the contracted tongue I) bear'against the face of the shield, as well as the members e and side reinforces E. The fasteneris then firmly secured in such bearing relation by that por-* tion of the contracted tongue I) which projects through beyondthe opposite side of the shield, being bent down against the same, the extended terminals 6 being correspondingly bent in an upward direction.

It will therefore be seen that in addition to obtaining the benefit of the three points of fastening represented by the engagements at the openings 0. a a I secure an extended transverse top bracing represented by the hearing of one side of the upper oval loop 0, besides comparatively separated vertical bracing, afforded by the members e e and extended horizontal lateral bracing for the shield involved by the horizontal reinforces E. These latter prevent any torsional side turning or twisting of the fastener relative to the shield. The upper horizontal loop 0, besides constituting a bracing provision embodying separated members for receiving the button-head, serves for the proper location of the upper yielding provision presented by the crossing of the members at d and also aids to support the arms 01 at the proper distance from the shield, the extended horizontal portions forming one side of said loop 0 besides operating to brace the parts also acting as stop-shoulders to resist any movement induced by incidental pressure tending to force the upper part of the fastener through the shield.

In use the necktie and its shield, the latter carrying the fastener, are so manipulated that with a, downward movement of these parts the shank of the collar-button is caused to pass to the entrance 01 the dimensions of which will be such as to necessitate the shan k being forced through the same with a little eifort. Those portions d forming the entrance will readily spread to permit such passage under the spring action provided by the loop Oand crossing of the members at d at the top, the effect, on account of such crossed relation of the members (1, being to further contract the loop 0 the more the entrance portions spread. The result of this arrangement is that it tends to limit the undue spreading of the entrance portions, besides preserving the resiliency of the spring character of the loop 0, which latter effect would not be attained were the spreading of such entrancejaws to operate in distending or spreading the loop instead of contracting the loop. It will therefore be seen that the entrance of the button-shank occasions the contraction of the spring-loop, while the contraction of said portions to retain the shank is occasioned by its expansion.

The loop 0 under the conditions stated, together with its crossed members relatively movable with respect to each other and the abrupt character of those portions d forming the eye-entrance as compared with the more gradual curvature of the portions forming the approach d will, when the buttonshank moves downwardly under the shifting conditions incurred during wear, resultin said shank contacting with said abrupt portions and tend to press them downward, and thereby, on account of the crossed relation of the parts at the top, result in the arms moving together leverwise from the points designated by c to contract the bearing-eye. Consequently on this account, as well as by reason of the said comparatively abrupt character of the portions forming the contracted entrance, more resistance will be interposed to the disengagement of the shank than was required to effect its engagement. Of course disengagement will be more readily accomplished when the shield and fastener are moved by hand.

By the arrangement of the upper crossed members not only is a highly-desirable spring effect secured, but a stop or barrier is provided whereby the shank of the button will be prevented from being forced entirely through and out of engagement with the fastener at its top, as would be especially liable with a small-headed button if the two arms (1 were simply bent horizontally parallel at the top to extend through the shield and the opening in the latter be or become such as is likely to permit a spreading of the members forming the contracted tongue.

In employing the upper horizontal loop 0 besides the other functions and advantages ascribed to it it also permits the height of the fastener to be materially shortened and, if necessary, the vertical dimension of the central portion of the shield to be reduced, even though constructed to serve with buttons having heads of considerable diameter. This results because when the shank of the button bears thoroughly with the eye D against the crossed portions d at the top thereof a considerable part of the head f of the button will extend through and above the horizontal plane of the loop 0, as indicated by the dotted circle, Fig. 1.

It will be appreciated that a necktie-fastener embodying the novel features described will be highly efficient and useful, as well as comparatively simple and inexpensive.

In the construction disclosed in Fig. 4 the general principles of the fastener are retained the outer arm E, member 6, and immediate parts being omitted, the lower rounded portions d 0f the eye-entrance d directly merging into horizontal bends d, which bear against the lower part of the shield to brace the lower part of the fastener and serve as stops for the contracted securing-tongue b, which passes through and is bent upward against the opposite face of the shield. The inner portions of the top horizontal loop merge into extended terminals 2", which are both passed through a central top opening and oppositely bent horizontally against the contiguous face of the shield, said top horizontal loop constituting a bracing provision independent of that presented by the lower bends d.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Awirenecktie-fastenercomprisingbracing provision having its members horizontally separated for receiving a button-head, means at one side of said provision for attachment to the shield, a pair of bent arms connected to said provision at the other side thereof and presenting a bearing-eye and contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, the latter being closed contiguous to the connection of the arms with the separated members to present a closed stop for a button-shank bearing in the eye.

2. A wire necktie-fastener comprising horizontal bracing provision having its members separated for. receiving abutton-head, means at one side of said provision for attachment to the shield, a pair of bent arms at the other side of said provision and presenting a bearing-eye and contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, the latter being closed contiguous to the separated members to present a closed stop for a button-shank bearing in the eye; and provision for independently bracing said arms relative to the shield.

33. A wire necktie-fastener comprising horizontal bracing provision having its members separated for receiving a button-head, and crossed at one side, means for attaching the provision to the shield, and a pair of bent arms connected to the crossed members and presenting a bearing-eye and contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, the latter being immediately contiguous to the crossed members.

4. A Wire necktie-fastener comprising horizontal bracing provision having its members separated for receiving a button-head and crossed at one side, means at one side of said provision for attachment to the shield, a pair of bent arms connected to the members at the crossed side thereof and presenting a bearingeye and contracted entrance for said bearingeye, the bearing-eye being immediately contiguous to the crossed members; and provision for independently bracing said arms relative to the shield.

5. A wire necktie-fastener com prising a narrow contracted securing-tongue and a distended or expanded horizontal loop immediately contiguous thereto and adapted to bear against the shield for serving as a stop for the tongue, said horizontal loop forming a braced support for a pair of arms bent to present a bearing-eye and contracted entrance therefor, crossed members yieldingly contracting said entrance, and independent bracing provision for said arms relative to the shield.

6. A wire necktie-fastener comprising horizontal bracing provision having its members separated for receiving a button-head, means at one side of said provision for attachment to the shield, a pair of bent arms at the other side of said provision and presenting a bearin g-eye and contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, the latter contiguous to the separated members; and laterally-extended reinforces bearing against the shield and contributing to maintain both the arms and separated bracing members in their normal positions.

7. A wire necktie fastener comprising a narrow contracted securing-tongue and a distended or expanded horizontal loop immediately contiguous thereto and adapted to bear against the shield for serving as a stop for the tongue, said horizontal loop embodying crossed members, a pair of arms supported by said crossed members and bent to present a bearing-eye and spring-yielding contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, and independent provision for bracing said arms relative to the shield, said bracing provision including laterally-extended reinforces for hearing against the shield.

8. A wire necktie fastener comprising a horizontal spring-loop designed to bear at one side against the shield and'having at the opposite side crossed members, arms connected to said crossed members and bent to present a bearing-eye, said crossed members constituting a barrier between said eye and loop,

and means for securing said parts to the shield.

9. A wire necktie-fastener comprising horizontal bracing provision having its members separated for receiving a button-head, and crossed at one side, and relatively movable with respect to each other, means for attachment to the shield, and a pair of bent arms connected to the crossed members and presenting a bearing-eye and contracted'entrance for said bearing-eye, those portions of the arms at the inner side of the entrance being more abrupt than those constituting the approach thereto.

10. A wire necktie-fastener comprising-a narrow contracted securing-tongue and a horizontal spring-loop designed to bear at one side against the shield and having at the opposite side crossed members relatively movable With respect to each other, arms connected to said crossed members and bent to present a bearing-eye and contracted entrance for said bearing-eye, those portions of the arms at the inner side of the entrance being more abrupt than the parts constituting the approach thereto.

11. AWirenecktie-fastenercomprisinghorizontal bracing provision having its members separated for receiving a button-head, means at one side of said provision for attachment to the shield, a pair of bent arms at the other Witnesses WILLIAM PAXTON, M. BLUMER. 

